


The Wedding

by der_tanzer



Series: Protective Custody [24]
Category: Riptide (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-06
Updated: 2010-12-06
Packaged: 2017-10-13 13:19:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/137816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/der_tanzer/pseuds/der_tanzer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Murray and Ted go to a wedding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Wedding

On Friday the thirteenth of February, Murray and Ted set out for Seattle and the wedding of Steven Quinlan. Murray wanted to take extra time and drive to Seattle, but Ted was working hard to bust a fencing ring and was lucky to get even the minimum three days he needed to fly. It was better than not going at all, but Murray was still a nervous flier, in spite of all the traveling he’d done in his career. At least on airplanes. Helicopters were different for some reason; or maybe that was just when Nick was the pilot.

He packed lightly so they didn’t have to check any luggage, having sent the gift up ahead of time, and brought a book he’d been meaning to read. That was as prepared as he could get, and it was no comfort to him that Ted, who knew no fear, was equally prepared. Ted took the window seat and opened the new Clive Cussler novel, conveniently forgetting that Murray was going to start talking any minute.

The problem was that they couldn’t hold hands or talk about anything personal. Sometimes they tried to pose as co-workers on a business trip, but they didn’t have enough common knowledge to make that plausible. Either Murray did all the talking while Ted nodded, his eyes glazing over as his higher brain functions shut down one by one, or Ted went off about a case and Murray’s fascinated questioning led to more than could be discussed publicly. It also made it pretty clear that he didn’t know a thing about police work. Their most successful trip so far had been the one to Vegas, where Murray wore handcuffs on the plane and pretended to be a criminal in mid-extradition. They’d played that role often enough in the early years of Murray’s residency in King Harbor for both to know their parts, Ted being stern and unfriendly and Murray acting scared. The biggest difference now was the way both of them kept their jackets buttoned to hide their arousal.

But there were no handcuffs on this trip. Julie’s brother Pat was meeting them at the gate and there might not be time to get out of character before he saw them. All Murray could do was pull out his Stephen King novel and try to replace one fear with another. In this case, a book about a writer’s nom de plume come to life, he didn’t think it would personally distress him that much. Not like when he read _It_ and developed a fear of everything from birds to Ted’s bathroom sink. That had been a bad month for everyone. Still, he shivered a little at the beginning, the poor old man dying by the side of the road while his wife waited for him at home, and received an annoyed glance from the woman on his other side. It was going to be a long flight.

The takeoff was smooth and Murray relaxed a little. When the attendant came by with the beverage cart, he correctly interpreted Ted’s lifted eyebrows and asked for a bottle of water so it wouldn’t stain or leave him sticky when he spilled it. But his own eyebrows were less forgiving when Ted asked for a screwdriver. It wasn’t even noon and here he was drinking vodka while Murray couldn’t even have a Mountain Dew.

“That’s not fair, Lieutenant,” he remarked, keeping his voice even so the woman wouldn’t think they were a bickering couple, which they were.

“If you wouldn’t spill it, I’d let you have some juice,” Ted shrugged. “But I ain’t stupid enough to give you alcohol on a plane. In fact, I think the FCC has a regulation specifically forbidding it.”

“Very funny,” he sighed and settled back into his book. But Quinlan wasn’t wrong. They hit turbulence in a thunderstorm over Portland and Murray spilled his water. The woman beside him turned out to be a nervous flier, too, and let out a little scream every time the 737 took a jolt. After two minutes of it, she’d disintegrated completely and was cowering under Murray’s arm with her face buried in the lapel of his jacket. It was enough to mostly distract Murray from his own fears, but he still took the opportunity to hold Ted’s hand. Murray said comforting things to the shivering woman, who bought it in spite of his own trembling. It might have helped her to know that he was trembling in large part because Ted was massaging the palm of his hand, but just in case it wouldn’t, he kept it to himself.

Once they were out of the storm, Murray retrieved his hand, fixed his jacket over the bulge in his slacks, and sighed to himself as the woman straightened up and turned haughty once again. He decided that the next time they hit turbulence, she was on her own. And the clouds he was seeing as they passed through southern Washington had him convinced there would be more.

They hit the next patch fifteen minutes out of Sea-Tac, and this one seemed to last forever. The woman on Murray’s right became hysterical and a flight attendant had to come and comfort her, crouching on the floor and holding her close. Murray pitied her enough to take back his earlier decision, but it didn’t matter. He was too busy clinging to Ted to be able to do anything for anyone else. He couldn’t even fully appreciate being held tight in his lover’s arms, so great was his terror. But at least it didn’t look strange to the other passengers, almost all of whom were clinging to someone else, regardless of gender or prior relationship. Men and women were screaming in equal numbers and the flight attendants who weren’t comforting individuals were running back and forth distributing vomit bags as fast as they could.

Murray was glad he wasn’t prone to air sickness as he burrowed into Ted’s shoulder, shameless with fear and need. His soft whimpers couldn’t be heard over the rattling of luggage in the overhead compartments and the cries of the other passengers, and only Ted knew the true extent of his panic. He pushed Murray away just long enough to raise the armrest that was digging painfully into their ribs and then hugged him close again, rubbing his back and whispering soothing words.

“You’re all right, Murray. You hear me? Everything’s all right. This happens all the time and planes don’t crash. You know crashes are always caused by mechanical failure and pilot error, not turbulence. You’re the scientist, baby, you know all this. Come on, it’s your big chance to put all that fancy learning to good use.”

“I use it all the time, but I’ll have to stop if this plane goes down.”

“Goofball,” he snorted, derisive but loving. “It’s not going down until it’s ready to land. And even if it did, well, you always said you wanted us to go together.”

“That’s not funny.”

“I know. It ain’t meant to be.” He glanced around quickly, saw that no one was looking at them, and hastily kissed Murray on top of the head.

“I love you, Lieutenant,” Murray whispered in response.

“Me too, baby. Now just stay calm and we’ll be on the ground in a few minutes. We’ll be seeing Steven and Kate, and meeting Julie and her family, just like you been looking forward to all these months.”

He nodded as if he agreed, but he was really thinking they had made a mistake not having them down for Christmas. He and Ted had spent it with Nick and Cody, as they always did, and his family had flown in for New Year’s.

Ted had called his brother on Christmas Eve, as was his tradition, but neither Greg nor his wife Lenora would speak to him. Lenora, who’d been the one to answer the phone, just said that they were through with him, and furthermore, he’d regret turning their son against them. Ted took that to mean they’d heard that he was going to the wedding, but he didn’t get a chance to ask before she hung up. Steven told him when he called the next day that their predictions were correct. He’d told his parents that Uncle Ted and Uncle Murray, as he called him to annoy his father, were going to be at the wedding, and Greg had blown his top. It ended with Steven hanging up on him to escape the vitriolic rage, saddened but reassured that his wedding would be peaceful.

All of these things were flashing through Murray’s head as the pilot announced they would be circling for a few minutes more. The pain he had caused to his lover, the disruption in his family, the loss of his brother—all rose up and smote him with more guilt than he could handle on the brink of death. He tried to counter it with thoughts of Steven calling him _Uncle_ , and raising his children to do the same, but it was no good. Today all he wanted was to have stayed home.

“I can’t die without saying goodbye to Baba,” he murmured.

“You won’t die, baby. It’s just February in the Northwest. How in the hell did you ever fly around the country alone all these years?”

“Sedatives. Ted, I’m so scared.”

“Hush, baby,” was all he said. “Keep it together and we’ll have a good time tonight. Think about that instead, okay? Three days in a house full of friends and family who’ll let us be ourselves, and a wedding where no one asks you when _you’re_ getting married.”

“I hate that,” Murray agreed, not raising his head. Then, without thinking, he added, “I wish we could get married.”

“What?”

Murray froze, unable even to lift his head and deny the words. Ted’s hands were still on his body, one in the middle of his back, the other buried in his hair. It seemed like neither would ever move or speak again, and then the captain’s voice came over the PA, announcing that they were cleared to land. In just a few seconds the plane had dropped below the turbulence and passengers were starting to pull themselves together. The woman beside Murray let go of her flight attendant and Murray sat up quickly, straightening his clothes and finger combing his hair.

Touchdown was smooth and easy, one of the best landings of Murray’s career.

***

“Holy cow,” was Murray’s first response when he saw the house. It was like one of the country estate homes from _Jeeves and Wooster_ , unlike anything he’d ever seen in the States. They’d turned off the main road a mile back and ever since then, all he’d seen was rolling fields and grazing horses. It had prepared him for a sizeable house, maybe even a mansion, but this thing was incredible. As in literally not to be credited.

“You like it?” Pat grinned, pulling up in front of a carriage house turned six car garage.

“It’s beautiful. I can’t believe you live here. How on earth can one family sustain a property like this?”

“The key is extended family. Rob lives with us, and lawyers make good money. There are a couple of cousins, too. We all pull together.”

“That’s so boss,” Murray said, fascinated. “Like a microcosm of communism. Do you pool all of your resources or do people have assigned responsibilities?”

“Let’s save the poli-sci paper for later, huh?” Ted whispered. Murray blushed and Pat laughed, telling him it was okay and he’d be happy to explain it later. Then they were getting out of the car, Ted pausing to wait for Murray, who took his hand and held it hesitantly.

“Come on, guys. Nothing to be scared of here,” Pat said, waving them toward the house. “Everybody’s really excited to meet you.”

“That’s something to be scared of,” Murray said, louder than he’d intended.

“Don’t be silly, Uncle Murray. They’re going to _love_ you.”

“No love for Uncle Ted?” Quinlan asked wryly.

“Oh, well, that goes without saying. Although Steve’s been saying it a lot. In fact, he hasn’t really talked about much else since he’s been here. He’s so excited to have a blood relative who isn’t a total fucktard. Pardon my language.”

“Don’t worry. Greg’s my brother; I know he’s a fucktard.”

Most of the family was gathered in the front parlor to welcome guests while the florists and decorators prepared the rest of the house. The wedding ceremony would take place in the formal parlor in the back of the house, with the reception to follow in the third floor ballroom. But tonight’s rehearsal dinner would be in the formal dining room and the caterers were hard at work getting it ready.

Steve was the first to get up and greet his uncle with a hug. Julie followed him and hugged Ted so hard that his natural stiffness broke and he had to laugh. This family thing was going to take some getting used to, but he thought he could grow to like it.

Julie took over the introductions, making sure her parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and all their friends, spouses, and partners met her two new uncles. By the fifteenth repetition of _Uncle Ted and Uncle Murray_ , Ted was certain he liked it, whether it was strange or not. But when she finished and they’d met everyone, she asked if Murray was feeling all right. Ted turned to him and saw with some surprise that he was indeed looking pale and worn.

“Yes, I’m fine. I'm just a little tired. It was sort of a rough flight at the end. There were storms and turbulence—you know, the usual sort of thing. Although it was interesting in a way to suddenly fly into bad weather. It was so nice in LA this morning. The weather never really changes down there, always in the seventies in the winter. It’s really nice, except for the flip side of nineties in the summer.”

“We love it,” Julie said. “But you do look awfully tired. Let me show you to your rooms. You can get some rest before the rehearsal starts.”

A swift look of disappointment flashed across Murray’s face at her use of the plural _rooms_ , but it was her family’s home and they could order it however they wanted.

“Yes, that’d be nice,” he said. “I think I could use a nap.”

“Let me get your bags,” Steve said quickly. “Did you leave them in the car, Patty?”

“Yeah, I forgot. Let me get them.”

“No, I’ve got it. You’re supposed to be watching the caterers, anyway.”

“Right. Lucky Robby, getting to spend his day in court instead of in this madhouse. All right, off to the kitchen with me.” He blew kisses to the assembled family and headed for the back of the house. Steve took the car keys from the hook by the door and went outside to get their bags.

“Pat’s a sweetheart, isn’t he?” Julie said, leading them up the wide staircase. “I just adore him.”

“Seems like a nice enough kid,” Ted agreed. “What’s he do on days when no one’s getting married?”

“He’s a caterer. It’s his company doing the food tonight and tomorrow.”

They went down a long hallway with closed doors on both sides, and Julie chose one seemingly at random.

“We decided to put you in the green room. I hope that’s okay.” She opened it to show them how very green it was, with mint wallpaper, moss carpet, and emerald drapes and upholstered chairs. There was a glossy table, with a mirror behind it and a few books and magazines on top. As they stepped inside, Murray realized she had said _rooms_ not because they were sleeping apart but because it was a suite rather than just a bedroom.

“It’s just fine,” Quinlan said, smiling a little at Murray’s awe.

“The bedroom is right through that door, and the one beside it is the bathroom. There are clean towels in the cupboards and extra blankets in the closet. If you need anything else, there’s a whole house full of people to ask, okay?”

“We’ll be fine. Where do we need to be for the rehearsal?”

“Third floor. They’re still decorating but we’ll muddle through. We want to start at six, so if we don’t see you around, someone will stop by and make sure you’re up. Gosh, I’m so glad you’re here,” she said suddenly. “It just means the world to Steve.”

“I’m glad,” Ted muttered uncomfortably. “I’m just sorry his dad couldn’t make it.”

“Don’t be. I’ve met his parents and I never wanted them here. If you guys are too gay for them, I don’t want them to ever meet my family. They’d torture poor Patty to death.”

“I think he’s sweet,” Murray said, blushing faintly.

“He is. And so’s Robby. They’re an adorable couple. Oh, but I have to get back to the decorators. I really hope we get more time to talk this evening, but you know how it is with a wedding. The bride is the busiest person there.”

They agreed with her, though neither really had any idea. Murray had only been to a couple of weddings, and Ted avoided them with the same casual ease as he avoided tubercular asylums. Even his own had been a city hall affair.

Julie reminded them to get some rest and disappeared just as Steve came in with their bags.

“Say, where’s Kate? I expected her to be the one flitting around, being in charge.”

“Yes, well, I’m sure she would’ve loved to be,” Steve said darkly. “But Mom and Dad have really been raking her over the coals since they found out about you, and she—she’s not coming.”

“What?” Ted cried, at the same time Murray asked, “Why not?”

“She’s always been closer to them and they kind of—threatened her. Dad said that since I chose you over them, she had to choose between them and me.”

“Shit,” Ted muttered. “Shit, shit, _shit_. Why didn’t you say so sooner? We’d have stayed home and you could have had your whole family at your wedding.”

“Because you aren’t the one with the problem. Dad chose to stay home rather than face you, and Kate chose to miss my wedding rather than risk pissing him off. They all could have put their petty, bigoted crap aside for one weekend if they wanted to, if I really meant that much to them, but I don’t and they didn’t. You’re the ones who chose to come without making any conditions or attaching any strings, so you’re the ones I want to have here.”

“Are you sure? Because I’ve seen Ann Landers give that advice a lot of times, but I never heard of anyone taking it.”

“I don’t know why not. It’s good advice. I invited everyone that I wanted to share my day with and if some people didn’t want to come because some other people were going to be there, that’s really not my problem.”

“You’ve come a long way in the two months since you sat in my kitchen and said it was all too new for you to know what to say.”

“Well, Julie helped a lot. Her family’s had enough experience with this kind of thing to write their own advice column. She’s the one who told me not to let you find out about Kate before you got up here. And I don’t want you to have any hard feelings toward her, either, okay? Her husband put a lot of pressure on her, too, and it’s already tough for the kids. They liked you guys a lot, that one time we got together, and Joe’s been saying some pretty harsh stuff to them, kind of imitating Dad. Kate’s the favorite in the will right now and Joe wants to keep it that way.”

“What a mess,” Ted sighed, pressing his forehead to the window while he gathered his thoughts.

“It all goes back to him, doesn’t it?” Murray said. “The whole family, goose-stepping after Greg.”

“He’s just following our old man,” Ted reminded him.

“Well, neither of them are here now,” Steve said briskly. “And I don’t want you two worrying about it anymore. I’m getting married tomorrow with all the family I need, so let’s have a good time.”

“Be hard not to in a place like this,” Ted agreed, straining to smile. When Murray kissed him, it became more real, and they were all in a better mood when Steve finally left them to settle in.

“Pretty nice place, isn’t it?” Ted remarked when they were alone. “I didn’t know people still lived like this.”

“Steve said Julie’s folks are developers for Microsoft. That’s about the closest you can get to royalty in this country. Outside of Hollywood.”

“Microsoft? The computer people?”

“Right. Well, software design, really.”

“And you don’t work for them?”

“Well, no. I don’t really want to do what they do.”

“Not even if it means living like royalty?”

“Oh, well, you have to have gotten in on the very ground floor for this. Although I suppose there’s still money to be made in it. But we have money and I like King Harbor.” He stepped behind Ted and wrapped his arms around the sturdy barrel chest. “You wouldn’t want to live in a house like this anyway, would you? You’d have to hire help and people would always be coming to visit.”

“Yeah, you need family to have an estate.” He rested his head on Murray’s shoulder but didn’t lean into him with any weight. “I really appreciate you coming with me, you know. I never would have had the balls to fly up here alone.”

“I wanted to come, Ted. We needed to get away. Besides, Steve’s family. You needed to be here.”

“You, uh, ever think of us as family?”

“You mean you and me?” Murray asked, baffled.

“Never mind. I’m just tired and talking nonsense. I’m gonna take a nap.” He slipped out of Murray’s arms and went to the bedroom, opening the door with a hint of caution. It was every bit as green as the sitting room with the same moss carpet and emerald drapes. The bedspread was emerald, too, and the paintings on the walls had gold frames, set off beautifully by the mint paper.

Ted took it in with a distracted sigh, thinking of all the things he didn’t have, that he couldn’t give to Murray even if he did have them because the world didn’t work that way. At weak moments like this, he wished more than anything that it did. He heard Murray in the bathroom, flushing the toilet and splashing in the sink, while he took off his shoes and stiff button-up shirt. After a second of hesitation, he took his pants off, too, and was glad when he climbed into the ridiculously comfortable bed. It was too good to be compromised by uncomfortable clothes.

Murray came in, already yawning and unbuttoning his shirt as if it were late at night and not one in the afternoon. He undressed and got into bed with a sigh of relief, but still took a moment to set the alarm on his watch to wake him at four. It would be humiliating to have someone come and get them for the rehearsal, and worse if no one did.

“These pillows are amazing. I wonder if anyone can have them, or if you have to be Microsoft royalty,” he mused as he settled in.

“Probably they just shop at Macy’s or Saks or someplace too good for me to have even heard of.”

“I might have to ask. But on the other hand, if I had bedding like this, I probably wouldn’t stay up all night working anymore.”

“And that’s a bad thing? Kid, you just doomed yourself to fancy pillows and a whole bundle of whatever the hell kind of blankets these are.”

“I love you, too, Lieutenant. But I’m falling asleep now.”

“Yeah, me too,” he said, leaving Murray in doubt as to whether he meant _I love you_ or _I’m falling asleep_. Maybe both, he pondered, and pondering, slept.

***

Murray and Ted sat on carved chairs, gold gilt with soft velvet lavender cushions, watching the wedding rehearsal. The parlor was full of these chairs, rented for the occasion, lined up in neat rows under arches of flowers and swags of lavender bunting. The wedding party was larger than they’d anticipated, with nine bridesmaids and their escorts, and flower girls and train bearers without number. Steven’s friend Eric was the best man and his girlfriend, who wasn’t part of the wedding, sat beside Murray to watch. She was nervous around all these strangers, as well as uncomfortable with the wealth and status, and Murray’s good-natured geekiness made him the least threatening person there.

Pat ran in from the kitchen and took his place in line still wearing his apron, and one of the cousins stood in for Rob, who was working late. The bridesmaid he was escorting would have to fill him in tomorrow on where to stand and what to do. As soon as the bride was at the altar, Pat jumped out of line and ran back to the kitchen, leaving them to finish on their own. The priest walked the party through it with a minimum of fuss, and then everyone headed to the dining room to rehash it over a Chinese feast.

Pat finally sat down with the family to eat and rest for a few minutes before returning to the kitchen to complete tomorrow’s preparations. He was working hard and loving every minute of it, in spite of his cheerful complaints.

“This is a beautiful house for a wedding,” Murray said. “Do you have a lot of family weddings here?”

“Robby and I had ours here five years ago,” Pat said happily. “Try an eggroll. I rolled them with my own two hands.”

“You and Rob are married?” he asked, taking the eggroll automatically.

“Well, not legally, of course. But we had a big ceremony with both our families, just like this. It was beautiful. We had an Italian theme with food and wine and fashions from Rome and Venice, and our rings were made by a craftsman in Naples.”

“Oh, that sounds lovely.”

“It really was. I can show you pictures if you like. We have hundreds.”

“Pat loves his photos,” Rob said indulgently.

“You two should get married here,” Pat said, suddenly excited. “Oh, we could have the wedding in the summer and do an outdoor reception. The flowers would all be in bloom—it would be fabulous.”

“That’s sweet,” Murray said, blushing prettily. “But Ted doesn’t want to get married.”

“When did I say that?” Quinlan asked, and everyone within earshot fell silent as swiftly as if he’d pulled a gun.

Murray turned to him, wide-eyed, and managed to stammer, “I—I guess you didn’t.”

“That doesn’t mean you can start planning the menu, Patrick my love,” said Rob, and everyone laughed. The tension broken, Murray returned to his meal, but he didn’t really feel like eating anymore.

***

Some of the local guests went home after supper, but there were still fifty people in the great house when they began to divide into groups for the evening. Murray went with Pat and Rob to the front parlor to look at wedding photos, and much of the family ended up there, either to join them or to engage in other pursuits, like board games and reading. The library was at the other end of the house, but books rotated through the parlor on a kind of schedule so there was always something new.

Ted was with them for a while and then slipped away with some of the other men, invited by Julie’s father and encouraged by Steven, to shoot pool in what was still called the billiard room. It was more than that, though. It was really a game room, with foosball and full sized arcade games, as well as a Nintendo system hooked up to a big screen TV. So far that was the only TV set he’d seen in the house, although there was a satellite dish on the lawn.

Most of the male children, and a few of the female, were in here playing games, but this room, like all the others, was so large they didn’t bother anyone. When James Holloway spoke as head of the household, even toddlers listened. So the children kept the volume of their voices and their games to a reasonable level, and the men shot half-hearted eight ball while trying to make the stranger feel at home.

He talked a little about being a cop, told the bare minimum about his life before King Harbor, and didn’t know whether to be irritated or grateful that everyone seemed to know all about his brother without him having to explain. But, he realized, his brother’s son was marrying into this family. Of course he’d told them what to expect of his own father, and probably quite a bit about Ted to get him this invitation. Even though it had been extended by Steven the day they met, Ted had been around enough to know that the actual hosts could have rescinded it at any time.

Then one of the cousins asked him what Murray Bozinsky, the great computer genius, was like outside of work, and it occurred to him that maybe he hadn’t been around enough after all.

“Murray’s a good kid,” he said simply, leaning over to line up his shot.

“Sure, he’s great,” Steve added. “But I’m not sure that was the question.”

Ted sank the six ball and straightened up again. Rather defensively, he asked, “So what _was_ the question?”

“Well, just, what’s he like? Is he the crazy genius type, always working day and night, or does it come easy for him?”

“Both,” he said, moving around the table to line up the two. “It comes easy, but it comes too fast, so he’s always frantic. But he’s happy. He loves what he does, he loves his life. He makes everyone around him happy.”

“Frantic but happy?” the cousin pressed.

“Yeah. Always excited about his work and his friends and whatever’s going on around him. It’s real hard for him not to have a good time, no matter what he’s doing.”

“Is that why you love him?” someone else asked, and Steven started to intervene, feeling it was getting too personal.

“It’s all right,” Ted shrugged. “Yeah, that’s a big part of it. He’s happy and he makes other people happy. Who wouldn’t want that?”

“I always thought geniuses had to be tortured,” the cousin, Dan, remarked.

“That’s artists. Computer guys can be whatever they want.”

“The guys at work aren’t particularly happy,” James laughed.

“They ain’t self-employed. Murray’s a private detective, too. He gets to live on a boat with his friends and have car chases and solve crimes. He’s a good kid and he has a good time.” He sank the one and the four, leaving only the eight ball on the table.

“And yet you don’t want to marry him,” James said, finally getting down to it.

Ted stood up without taking the shot.

“Fags can’t marry each other, last time I checked.”

“You could have a family ceremony like Pat did.”

“Yeah, well, no offense to Pat, but what would be the point? Steven and his bigot father are the only family I got, and Murray’s family knows about us. They know whatever they need to, at least.”

“Sure, but don’t you want to make a public statement?”

“Not really. We’re not rich and privileged, you know. We can’t hide out on our country estate when things get bad with the gay bashers. If we tried to be out, I’d lose my job and he’d get killed. I probably would, too. Cops don’t like fags on the force.”

“But if you don’t, things will never change,” James argued.

“Kids change things. Old men like me are supposed to sit and judge them for it.” He sank the eight ball and ended the game.

“You think Murray would try to change things if he was with someone his own age?” Cousin Dan asked, and two people kicked him at once.

Ted gave him a long look, then answered. “I don’t have any idea what he’d do without me. He might be married to a girl or he might be dead. Don’t ask me—I ain’t a fortune teller.” No one had an answer for that. Ted shrugged and began racking the balls again.

***

“You really had a lovely wedding,” Murray said as they neared the end of the last album. It was all reception photos, flowers and cake and hundreds of guests in formal dresses and tuxedos. And not all of them were gender-typical, he noticed. Some of the pretty boys wore gowns and many of the girls were in suits. There had been a time when things like that upset him, unbalanced his feelings of order in the world. But eventually the hypocrisy of it had come clear and he’d started appreciating that everyone had their own ways and there was nothing wrong with it. If he could make love to a man, and a man old enough to be his father at that, then a boy who could pass for a girl on his most masculine day could wear a dress if he wanted. The pictures showed that Pat and Rob had both worn suits, though, and he thought that was cool. After five years of dedicated gay living, Murray was sick to death of the stereotype that said one man had to be the woman in the relationship. He didn’t see why sleeping with a man made him a girl, any more than Ted should be a woman for sleeping with him, and more and more of his private reading was spent researching the subject of why even gays felt they had to model their relationships after heterosexuals’. He thought about bringing it up, but after the turn that conversation had taken during dinner, he didn’t want to get them all thinking of marriage as relating to him again.

“It was great,” Pat enthused. “We partied all weekend and then went on a honeymoon in Hawaii.”

“And all these people are your friends?”

“Friends, family, co-workers. These two here are Robby’s partners in the law firm. And over here…” He flipped through the pages to a smiling group photo. “This is the catering company I was with then, before I went out on my own. They were great. Johnny and Hannah and Casey came with me when I left. I never would have made it without them.”

“So you guys are totally out? That must be great.”

“Yeah, it is. But everyone in catering is gay. It’s like being a decorator or an actor. And Rob’s such a high-powered lawyer, no one cares about his personal life so long as he wins cases. Of course he can’t run for office or become a judge or anything, but he loves corporate law.” He turned another page. “And here are Robby’s parents again. His mom was so happy to see him settle down. What about your mom, Murray? Does she like Ted?”

“Sure. We don’t see my family much, they’re in Chicago, but they like him. It’s not the same, though. We don’t live together or anything.”

“That’s too bad. But I bet he’s a real cranky pants sometimes. It might be nice having time apart, right?”

“Not really. He’s less cranky since we’ve been together. The last few years, at least. I gave him a hard time in the beginning, while we were still figuring things out.”

“So you’re committed now? For life?”

“I guess so,” he shrugged. “We haven’t talked about it much.”

“You _guess_?” Pat exclaimed. “You haven’t _talked_ about it? Honey, how can you not _know_ if you’re committed or not?”

Murray was taken aback and had to think about that for a moment.

“Well, yes, we are. I mean, we agreed not to see other people a long time ago, and he’s promised to be with me as long as I want him.”

“Have you promised that in return?”

“I—I think so. I mean, I can’t remember exactly when, but I’m sure I must have. Anyway, it kind of goes without saying. He knows I love him more than anything.”

“Are you sure?”

Murray thought about that, chewing on his lip as he traced his finger over a photo of Rob and Pat posing with their families. He knew the truth, but he wasn’t prepared to say it to all of these people. He couldn’t tell them about four-fifteen and the unbreakable bond it had formed. Instead, he just cleared his throat and said, “Yes, I’m sure.”

“Ease up, Patty,” Rob laughed. “You can’t judge other people’s relationships. Leave the poor guy alone.”

“I’m sorry, Murray. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything, I just hate the idea of people denying their feelings out of fear. Whether it’s fear of society or your own feelings, it’s wrong, you know? You have to be free to express yourself.”

“Oh, I agree. And I am free, really. It’s just—complicated. And I don’t really—Julie, are you using the same photographer? Because these are really lovely pictures.”

“Why yes, we are,” she said cheerfully, letting him change the subject. “I’m copying so much of Pat’s wedding, it’s not even funny. Look here in these ceremony shots. They’re even the same chairs, only he had them done in red velvet. I just fell in love with them.”

“She went to a different bakery, though. Our cake was such a disaster, the caterers actually made a new one during the ceremony. It was such a miracle, I could _not_ believe they pulled it off.”

“Really? That must have been horrifying,” Murray said, and what was more, he meant it.

***

People started drifting off to bed around ten, and Ted came looking for Murray at eleven. He hadn’t been shooting pool all that time, though. After three games, he retired to the library with James and the older men to drink Scotch and talk about the good old days before the music got so loud and the kids got so disrespectful. He was slightly drunk when he said goodnight, and Murray helped him up the stairs with an arm around his waist.

“Did you have fun with the wedding planners down there?” Ted asked as they undressed in their room.

“I did, actually. I never thought about how much went into a wedding. It sounds like a lot of work.” He put on his pajamas and went into the bathroom, leaving the door open. Ted wandered in a few minutes later, wearing only his boxers, and pinched Murray playfully while he stood brushing his teeth. Murray spit out the toothpaste and rinsed his brush. “Trying to choke me, Lieutenant?”

“Don’t be so dramatic. Tell me something, kid.”

“Sure. Ask away.”

“In a minute. Get in bed before you freeze.”

“It’s not that cold.”

“It’s not that warm. These old houses are drafty as hell. Go on.”

Murray had forgotten his slippers and the tile floor _was_ a bit cold, so he shrugged and did as he was told. The big soft bed was as warm and comfortable as it had been that afternoon and he fell into it even more gratefully. He would have gone to sleep right away, but his curiosity kept him alert until Ted joined him and asked the question for real.

“These people have been bringing it up one way or another since we got here, but I never asked you. Do you ever think about getting married?”

“You mean in general?”

“Yeah, in general. What do you think about it?”

“Oh, well, I think it’s lovely. You know, two people so passionately in love that they just have to make a public commitment to be together forever. And the whole mingled life part, I love that. Being partners in everything, for better or worse, forever. It—it’s beautiful.”

“So is that something you want for yourself?” Ted propped himself up on his elbow, resting his head in his hand, and watched closely for Murray’s reaction.

Since he still had his glasses on, it wasn’t as unguarded as it might have been, but he was still surprised.

“I—I don’t really know how to answer that.”

“Come on, sure you do. You’re, what, thirty-seven years old? You must’ve thought about it when you were going out with women, and now you’ve been with me almost five years. So do you ever think about getting married? Because I’m not gonna be around forever, and—well, if you’re gonna find that perfect girl, you better get on it.”

“I thought we settled this years ago, Ted. After Stephanie, I told you I loved you and that was it. I was committed to this relationship from then on.”

“Yeah, but that was a long time ago. I was—younger. I could give you more. The future was a lot further away.”

“I don’t understand this. Are you trying to break up with me? Did you think it would be better somehow in someone else’s home, the day before a wedding? Is that what’s happening here?”

“No, I ain’t trying to dump you. I’m asking you if you want to—to be free.”

“Free? Free to do what? Ted, we _settled_ this. You promised me last year that you wouldn’t leave me. You said it was forever. What’s changed since then?” he demanded, sitting up and moving backward when Ted reached for him.

“Calm down, baby. Lower your voice.”

“I will _not_ —well, okay, I will. But only because we’re in someone else’s house. If we were at home, I’d shout as loud as I wanted.”

“And I’d let you. But you don’t understand.”

“I guess I don’t. You—you promised and now it sounds like you’re trying to take it back. Why now? What did I do?”

“You didn’t do anything, Murray. It’s not you at all. It’s me. I’m—I’m old and you’re not. You could still get married and have a family. Or at least find a man who could get it up when you want it. I just don’t want you staying with me because you promised, or because you think you owe me something. You don’t owe me your whole life.”

Murray stared at him for long seconds, then took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and put them on again.

“The hell I don’t,” he said slowly. “I owe you _everything_. Do you think I care how often you get it up? Do you really think that age means anything to me? Because if you do, if you really think that I’d—I’d use you as long as it was fun and then just move along like that, then you don’t really know me, do you?”

“I know you wouldn’t do it on your own.” He reached out again, his fingers grazing Murray’s hand, but it was too soon. Murray jerked away and scooted backward a few more inches. “I just want you to have more than I can give you.”

“You give me everything I need,” he said petulantly, as if it wasn’t a compliment.

“Except marriage, children and a lifetime of security. By the time you’re my age, I’ll be dead. Who’ll take care of you then?”

“I don’t know. Some younger man or woman who wants my money, I guess. I don’t care, anyway. I could die first, you know.”

“That’d be a real waste.”

“I don’t care. Just don’t leave me, Ted. You promised you wouldn’t let me go.”

“I know. But it’s not all up to me and you need to remember that. You’re a free man.”

“No, I’m not. I’ve left you plenty of times already, but I kept coming back. I had to. That has to mean something to you. That has to tell you something.”

“You were younger then. A man gets close to forty, his priorities start to change. Something that made sense at thirty-two might start to feel pretty stupid at thirty-eight. That was when I got married, you know. When I was thirty-three. If you’re alone at that age, you’re real hungry and the bait looks good, but that’s all it is. Bait. You take it and then you’re trapped.”

“Listen, Lieutenant. If you think you’re tasty enough bait to sucker me, or anyone else for that matter, into a trap he doesn’t want to be in, then you have a higher opinion of yourself than I thought.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I mean, I love you more than anything, but you’re kind of an asshole. If I wanted to leave you, I would.”

“I changed my mind. Geeky little brat like you couldn’t do better if you tried.”

“Oh, now I’m a geeky brat. A minute ago I was too good for you.”

“No, you were a geeky brat then, too. Now come back here, all right? It’s late and we got a busy day tomorrow.”

Murray put his glasses on the nightstand and turned off the lamp. He pretended to hesitate, then snuggled down into Ted’s arms.

“Can I ask you something, Lieutenant?”

“Sure, if you make it quick.”

“Well, what you said about the sex—I’d noticed that. I mean, that there’s been less over the last few months. But I thought it was because I—I wasn’t appealing to you. I never knew how to ask, but I’ve been trying to fix myself up for you.”

“Is that why you got the new glasses?”

“Well, kind of. And the optometrist said the wire frames would bend more when I fell asleep on them, so I won’t be able to break them so easily. But you’re saying that it’s not me?”

“That’s what I’m saying. I’m just old, baby. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault. I’m just wondering if you’ve lost the desire.”

“Desire? You mean do I still want to fuck you?”

“Exactly. Do you want to even when you—can’t?”

“I always want to,” he said humbly, and Murray fairly purred.

“Then that’s enough. We can still do things if you want to, you don’t need an erection to make love, but just knowing that you still think I'm attractive is all I really need.”

“You settle too easy, kid. You always did.”

“Well, not needing much means I’m always happy. Remember when we were in the woods the first time, how we used to sit on the front steps every evening and look at the stars? I loved that. Wrapped in a blanket, leaning against your knees, just enjoying the night. I felt so safe and—and wanted. I wasn’t always sure you liked me, and I doubted you’d want to have anything to do with me once we got home, but while we were there, everything was so simple.”

“It sure wasn’t simple after,” Ted laughed, remembering the misunderstandings and miscommunications that had divided them so many times.

“No, we made a lot of mistakes. But I think we’ve got it now. Although I do sometimes wish…”

“What? Tell me what you want.”

“It doesn’t matter. I can’t have it.”

“But if you could, what would it be?”

“I guess in a perfect world, I’d want us to live like Pat and Rob. I’d want a public relationship and—and I’d want to live with you. I hate always having to go home.”

“So you do want to be married.”

“Yeah. That’s what you were trying to ask all along, wasn’t it?”

“Uh-huh. Because I’d marry you if I could, and I wanted to make sure you knew that. I wish we could have this life, too.”

“Maybe someday we will. Goodnight, Lieutenant. I love you.” He kissed Ted’s throat softly, then snuggled against his shoulder again, letting him know that the discussion was over.

“Goodnight, baby. I love you, too.”

***

The activity in the hallway woke them late the next morning, after they’d had a good nine hours’ sleep. The first thing Murray was aware of was Ted’s erection against his ass, and he couldn’t help pressing into it just for the answering moan. Ted pushed back, instinctively seeking a warm crevice, and Murray was tempted to take his pants off right then. But before he could, Ted was raising up and kissing him, pulling him down on his back and denying him further contact.

“You don’t want to make use of the precious morning wood?” Murray giggled, even as he wrapped his hand around it.

“Don’t want to waste it. We’re gonna be buried in romance all day, and tonight I want to do something special.”

“Really? Special how?”

“That’ll be more or less up to you. But if I come now, there won’t be anything left for later. Besides, everyone’s up now. They’ll be expecting us at breakfast.”

They took turns in the shower to better resist temptation, dressed in casual clothes and met Pat and Rob, who were in the neighboring room, at the top of the stairs. Breakfast was going to be hurried and light, as the wedding was scheduled to start at ten, and the photographer wanted photos first. Everything was a rush, and if Murray noticed the looks Pat kept giving him, or the way Rob seemed to be trying to discourage Pat, he didn’t have time to ask about it.

Thirty-some people raced through a meal of cereal and fruit, then ran back upstairs to dress in their formal best. Murray and Ted had phoned in their measurements weeks ago so that suits would be waiting for them, and Rob had the honor of helping them dress.

They went into it with the idea that though they weren’t included in the wedding party, Steven and Julie wanted them in proper tuxedos to mark their status as family. It was for Steven that Ted allowed Rob to fix his cufflinks and tie his tie, the first time anyone else had dressed him since he was a child. Murray, who was more accustomed to formal attire, managed to get himself together, just needing help with his right cufflink.

“You’re going to be father of the groom today, okay?” Rob said, brushing Ted’s jacket and adjusting the drape.

“What’s that mean?” he asked doubtfully.

“Not a whole lot. It’s not like being father of the bride, but Steve needs some family, you know? Stick close to him, pose for the pictures, make sure he doesn’t feel the absence of his own father.”

“You think he won’t anyway?”

“No guarantees, my friend. But he chose you, so you need to be there.”

“He’s right,” Murray said. “It’s not that hard, like he said. You just have to be in the pictures and maybe offer some fatherly words of wisdom.”

“Well, I can do the pictures, but I think that kid’s a lot smarter than I’ll ever be. There ain’t much I can say to him.”

“It doesn’t matter what you say, Ted. You just have to be there.” Rob knelt down and ran a cloth over his shoes, giving them one last polish. “There, you’re all set. Murray, let’s have a look at you.”

“My God, kid, you clean up nice,” Ted grinned. “It’s worth a wedding to see you in a suit like that.”

“That’s right, you missed the last time I wore one. That casino job we did after—well, that job. We all looked good that night.”

“I bet you look better today than you did then. Finally got a decent haircut, and there’s no tape on your glasses.”

“You look better, too, you know. You’ve lost weight and put on a little muscle since then.”

“Damn gallbladder,” he muttered, secretly flattered.

“There’s just one thing missing. Let’s get you two down to the parlor—the photographer’s probably waiting—and I’ll pop into the kitchen for your boutonnieres.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Flowers,” Murray whispered. “The buttonhole flowers.”

“They really went all out, didn’t they?”

“Our Julie’s only getting married once,” Rob reminded him. “And it’ll probably be the last wedding in this house, unless her children marry here.”

“That’s gonna be a while, isn’t it?”

“One would hope. All right, boys. We’re ready to go.”

***

The ceremony was just over an hour long, stretched slightly by the receiving of communion by the extended Catholic family, and the reception ran into the early evening. Murray had a little too much champagne and danced with both the bride and the groom, while Ted stuck with just the bride. But he did dance one song with Murray, just because he could and might not get another chance. He watched with a jealous eye as Murray danced with Pat and Rob, and all of the girls who asked him. Here in the land of Microsoft he was more of a celebrity than he was back home, and there were a lot of star-struck geek girls in the family. But, jealous or not, Ted didn’t want to interfere with his good time, and he didn’t really feel threatened by the girls. He just wanted Murray to smile at _him_ that way.

So he watched and waited, biding his time and drinking soda water so he wouldn’t be drunk at the end of the day. Murray could be if he wanted, or at least a little tipsy, but Ted was going to have to be at his best to pull off the night he had in mind. When Murray returned to the table, Ted gave him a glass of water and suggested that he take it easy so he wouldn’t be too tired later.

“I’m going to be doing something later?” he asked innocently.

“If you want to. It’s Valentine’s Day and you always seem to want to celebrate that kind of stuff.”

“Oh.” Murray flushed a darker red and hurriedly gulped down the water.

“Hey, don’t choke yourself,” Ted laughed, taking the glass when he’d finished, and wiping his lip carefully with one finger. Murray caught his hand and held it on the table, speechless with emotion. “You do want to celebrate, don’t you?”

“Yes,” he said, and blushed again at his own breathlessness. “I’m sorry, I guess I’m a little—overwhelmed. I didn’t expect you to think of that while we were celebrating someone else’s wedding.”

“Doesn’t matter whose wedding it is, we can still eat cake,” he said philosophically.

It was six o’clock when the bridal couple left to catch a late flight to Hawaii and the party started breaking up. The house was even more crowded than before with relatives who had come in that morning staying the night, and Ted was quick to say goodnight to their hosts and hustle Murray up to their room. In a smaller group, in a smaller house without so many servants, he would have offered to stay and help clean up. But there were a hundred people moving around there, half with jobs to do and the other half getting in their way, so he saw no need to join in. Besides, Murray was in that sweet state of intoxication where he was both malleable and fully aware, languid but eager, and it was too good to waste.

He and Murray went upstairs, unnoticed in the crowd, and locked themselves in their room.

“You sure were in a hurry to get me out of there,” Murray giggled.

“Yeah, I was. I couldn’t wait another minute, in fact.” He pushed Murray against the wall and kissed him hard, unbuttoning his jacket with one hand and stroking his face with the other. Murray forced his hands between them and went to work on Ted’s jacket, slipping the buttons with nimble fingers and then starting on his shirt.

“Careful, Lieutenant,” he whispered, breaking the kiss for just a second. “Don’t tear the clothes. We’d have to explain.”

“I think they’d figure it out.”

“Let’s save them the trouble.”

They ended up piling their clothes in a chair to sort out later, and Ted tried, with many a kiss and caress, to lead Murray into the bedroom. But Murray resisted, accepting his attentions while holding his ground, keeping him close.

“I want something special,” he murmured, letting his hand fall to Ted’s hip and holding on as they ground together.

“Special how?” Ted asked, a faint tinge of worry chilling his passion.

“I don’t want it on the bed. I want you to bend me over that table and fuck me in front of the mirror.”

“Are you serious? Baby, no. I can’t do that.”

“Yes you can. Please, Ted. I’ll never be in a better mood than I am right now. I want us to take it back, I want us to own that pleasure again, and if we do it here, where there’s a mirror, I’ll be able to see you and I won’t get scared.”

That logic was hard to argue, and Ted had always liked him splayed out on level surfaces with his ass in the air, but he was still uncertain. It had been such a beautiful weekend so far, he didn’t want to risk ruining it now. Especially with potential witnesses that they might have to explain it to if things went wrong.

“You can’t say you don’t want to,” Murray teased. “I can feel how hard you are just thinking about it.”

“Thinking about _you_ ,” he corrected. “On the bed or the floor or up against the wall. Doesn’t make much difference to me, so long as you’re okay.”

“I _am_ okay, and you won’t hurt me. Something changed today, Ted. I felt it, and I know you did, too. I—I want to consummate this new phase of our relationship by putting all my trust in you and reclaiming our past. And soon,” he added with a laugh, “before the buzz wears off and I fall asleep.”

“We can try,” Ted conceded. “You brought lube, right?”

“I’ll get it.” He broke away with a quick kiss and went into the bedroom, while Ted went to the bathroom for a hand towel.

They met up in front of the table again and Ted made the first move, taking Murray in his arms and easing him down to the floor.

“You’re not talking me out of it,” Murray whispered, kissing his way down Ted’s throat and swirling his tongue lightly through the soft fur on his chest. Not that it did a lot for him, but Ted loved it. Especially when Murray got to his nipples and sucked firmly, alternating bites with flicks of his tongue. Ted’s right arm cradled his head while his left hand explored Murray’s body, pinching and caressing, making him shiver even as he grew warm.

Gradually, Ted’s grip loosened and Murray slid down slowly, placing a trail of wet kisses along his abdomen before settling in his lap to suck him properly. Ted gripped the back of his neck for a moment, squeezing and encouraging, and then Murray felt the strong hands leave his body. He went on licking and swallowing, trusting that Ted was still with him, and was swiftly rewarded for his faith.

Ted’s left hand went to Murray’s hip and then to his cock, already fully erect and throbbing. Murray groaned happily around the shaft in his mouth, taking it deeper as Ted worked his way back and palmed Murray’s sac. He rocked into it, drawing up his knees and curling more around Ted’s body, encouraging him to go on. He knew what had to come next and sure enough, after a moment, Ted shifted and released him to reach for the lube. Murray raised up to kiss him as Ted stroked down his cock again, between his thighs, and over the quivering flesh of his tight entrance. He jerked into it, one quick helpless thrust against Ted’s arm, and then sank back into his lap as the slick finger slipped inside.

“Oh, good,” he sighed. “Lieutenant, that’s good.”

“Yeah? Show me how good,” Ted growled, grabbing a handful of Murray’s hair and guiding his mouth back into place. Murray ran his tongue around the crown of Ted’s cock, up and down the shaft, and then sucked him deep, matching the movement of his head to the slow stroking of the finger within him.

Murray was drowning in pleasure, filled with the taste and scent of his lover’s sex, while Ted caressed and explored him inside and out. He opened himself more fully to the gentle touch, almost sobbing with need as a second finger entered him. It was so easy, so sweet and loving, so much what he needed, that on another day he might have been content to lie here on the floor and finish it, rocking to orgasm against Ted’s arm, sucking him off so they could come together. But he’d settled on this date months ago to get what he had to have and this wasn’t it. Not tonight.

He let himself get close, soaring on the physical sensations and the sound of Ted’s hungry moans, knowing that he could come if he wanted to and still enjoy the rest of the act. But it soon became clear, as he was cautiously, thoroughly stretched and stimulated, lubed and re-lubed, that Ted was going to keep him on the edge and make him enjoy it as much as possible. The thought of such caring made him tremble as a surge of desire swept over him, white-hot and slippery in the pit of his stomach, taking him from ready to desperate in a matter of seconds.

He must have made a new sound then, because Ted gripped his head tighter and pulled it back, looking him in the face.

“You still have your glasses on,” he said, noticing it for the first time.

“I want to see you,” Murray whispered. “I want to watch you fuck me. Now.”

“You’re ready?”

“Don’t I feel ready? Please, Lieutenant. On the table.”

Ted kissed him fiercely making his head spin anew, then helped him up and propelled him toward the wide, polished table without quite letting him catch his balance. Before he knew what was going on, Murray found himself flat on his back, staring up into Ted’s eyes.

“Wait, you said—this isn’t—”

“Don’t argue with me. You’re getting what you want, but you’re getting it my way.” He grabbed Murray’s hips and pushed into him, gentle and slow. Murray gripped his wrists and held on, wrapping his legs around Ted’s waist and working him deep. “See, you still like it,” he taunted, his smile taking the cruelty out of his words.

“I like it,” Murray groaned. “I like it, but it’s not…”

Ted freed one hand and touched Murray’s lips lightly with his thumb, then let his hand slip up his cheek and into his hair.

“Just give it a minute, baby. I ain’t cheating you.”

Murray closed his eyes and relaxed into it, rocking with him, forcing him deeper and gasping with pleasure when Ted finally reached his gland. It _was_ good and he _did_ like it, even if it wasn’t what he wanted. He moved faster, giving up all attempts to hold back the moans that bubbled in his throat, and then Ted was wrenching his other hand free to stroke Murray’s cock. Murray grabbed the edge of the table and clutched it so hard his knuckles turned white. The sweetly keening sound he made sent shivers down Ted’s spine, bringing Murray much closer to getting what he wanted, though he didn’t know it.

He was enjoying it so much that it was a surprise when Ted pulled out and flipped him over, then shoved into him again in one smooth motion. He gasped aloud, flailing with his right hand, and Ted caught it. Their fingers twined together and Murray, strengthened by the touch, raised his head to look in the mirror. What he saw there made it possible to set his feet and thrust back, his elbows tucked in under his ribs to protect his chest from bruises.

Ted’s free hand trailed down his back and over his hip, warm and strong and reassuring, and then slid back up to his shoulder. Their eyes met in the mirror and Murray nearly came right then. Ted felt the sudden spasm deep inside him and froze until it passed.

“Easy, baby,” he whispered, massaging the bony shoulder. “Don’t get too excited.”

“What if I want to, Lieutenant?”

“Want what?”

“To get too excited. It’s a special occasion. Let’s go crazy.”

“If that’s what you want,” he said with a shrug and thrust hard, pulling Murray back by his shoulder. They found the rhythm naturally and when he moved his hand to Murray’s cock, he could tell it was almost over. Murray cried out, a steady, helpless wail of ecstasy, bucking frantically as Ted leaned over him, panting against his back. At the last second, when Murray’s orgasm was inevitable, Ted grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his twitching cock. The soft fabric felt rough to his over-sensitized flesh, each loop of terry an individual tease, pushing him past all endurance the moment it enveloped him. Murray didn’t even have the strength to shout when he came, the power of his orgasm overwhelming him with frightening force, stilling his lungs and setting off fireworks behind his eyes.

Ted dropped the towel and finished in a few swift, hard strokes. Murray lay still, gulping air with his face pressed to the table top, clutching Ted’s hand as his lover came deep inside him. For a few seconds they held onto each other, waiting for their racing hearts to slow, and then Ted was sliding out again, crouching to retrieve the towel.

“Hold still, kid,” he murmured, cleaning him off tenderly. “Are you okay?”

“I’m great, Teddy. That was wonderful,” Murray sighed, watching him in the mirror.

“Yeah? Wasn’t too rough?”

“It was just what I wanted. I was worried at first, but you always know what you’re doing, don’t you?”

“Usually. Come on, let’s get a shower and go to bed. You can clean up in here tomorrow.”

“That’s fair,” Murray laughed, pushing himself up off the table. He turned and wrapped his arms around Ted’s waist, kissing him long and slow. “It was a good day, wasn’t it?”

“One of the best. I love you, kid. And when we get home, I’m going to do something to prove it.”

“You just did, Lieutenant. And I love you, too.”

“Sure, but fucking don’t prove anything,” he said as they went into the bathroom. “We did that when we hardly liked each other.”

“You loved me then and you know it. You just didn’t tell me,” Murray argued, his eyes twinkling behind his stylish glasses.

“So it didn’t really count. But I’m going to do something that will. I need to keep my promise.”

“What promise is that?” Murray asked, turning on the shower while Ted got out the towels. Green, of course, to match the tiles and trim.

“I said I wasn’t going to lie and hide you anymore, but I haven’t really kept my word.”

“Sure, but you can’t. And I agree with that. I don’t want to see you killed, Lieutenant. It’s enough that you don’t make fun of me in front of my friends anymore.”

“Jesus, you don’t ask much.” He hung the towels on the rack and stepped into the shower to fine-tune the temperature before holding out his hand to Murray.

“So what are you going to do, buy me a wedding ring?”

“That’s a bit much, isn’t it? Anyway, it’s a surprise.”

Murray hinted and nagged in a mild way as they washed themselves and each other, but he never got any more of an answer. Apparently that was a matter for another day.


End file.
